The news spread like wildfire and within minutes the streets of Beirut were filled with panic.
We saw residents cramming themselves into cars – or trying to leave on foot with whatever they could carry on their backs.
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The Israeli military had ordered evacuations in four separate districts in the city’s southern suburbs, and half a million or more people were on the streets.
People trying to flee Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut. Image: AP
They were united by one goal: to flee the capital as quickly as possible.
The fear was self-evident – that Israeli planes and drones would obliterate their homes.
‘It’s too dangerous’
We managed to get hold of a man who was preparing to run away. His wife cradled a small child on the back of his battered-looking moped.
“The whole place is in danger; it seems they are going on strike, we have to pick up our families and flee,” he said.
His wife added: “With all these threats and strikes, it’s very dangerous, it’s not safe.”
He then guided his bike into the heavy traffic.
Ruins of a power station in Beirut
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The words of a right-wing Israeli cabinet minister have added to the anxiety here.
Dahiya, a Beirut suburb, said Bezalal Smotrich, resembles the destroyed city of Khan Yunis in Gaza.
“You wanted to bring hell on us, you brought hell on yourself. Dahiya Khan looks like Younis. Our citizens of the north will live in calm, peace and security,” he declared.
What seems clear to people in Lebanon is that the Israelis are now making the rules.
Residents in southern Lebanon have been ordered to leave their homes and head north beyond the Litani River – and we find that their air campaign is well underway in the coastal city of Tyre.
Israeli tanks in southern Lebanon
‘We have nowhere to go’
A member of Hezbollah’s media department took us to the bomb site, saying we were looking at a city power station.
A giant tank holding diesel has been punctured by holes and a tower supporting solar panels has collapsed. The site was smelly, smoky and the tire no longer had electricity.
We wondered why some city dwellers decided to stay.
Hussain Chehadeh told us the simple reason – he said he had “no money” and was under pressure to pay for children, petrol, housing and rent.
“Our problem in the south”, he said, “is that we have nowhere to go”.
Israel ‘will not stop’
Mr Chehadeh and many others in the south are putting themselves at risk.
In exclusive footage passed to Sky News, we saw the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) taking up positions in the southern Lebanese hills, as the country’s military chief signaled that Israel was ready to go further.
“We are hitting hard, deep inside Lebanon, and we will strengthen control in the south. We will not stop until Hezbollah is disarmed,” said Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir.
It seems that this military conflict could morph into an all-out war – a contest and potential disaster that could sweep everything in its path.
